Are you ready?
The busiest time of the year is nearly upon us. Yep, just a few short weeks remain until the all-out sprint of the NEPSAC playoffs.
You know what that means. It's time to break down where things stand in the Elite 8 race before the stretch run.
When we did this last year, Thayer was the projected seventh seed in the Elite 8, and Groton was 10th in the JSPR. By regular season's end, Groton was in the top tournament, and Thayer was the No. 1 seed in the Large School field. Phillips Andover was the projected seventh seed. They got in at No. 5 and made a run to the championship game.
Needless to say, plenty can happen between now and the playoffs.
Let’s take stock of the top 16 teams in the projected final JSPR on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 5.
Williston Northampton (16-1-0)
Why they'd be in: It's not a shock to see Williston at the top. The Wildcats took over the top spot in our rankings at the start of 2026, and they haven't looked back. The only mark against them is a loss to Nobles in the Harrington final. Otherwise, Williston has dominated its schedule, including an active 11-game win streak. They've played a strong schedule and taken down playoff contenders in Loomis Chaffee, Dexter Southfield, Tabor St. Paul's (twice), Cushing (twice), Taft, Rivers, Berkshire and Canterbury. The Wildcats' plus-67 (76-9) goal differential is tied for the best in prep, too. The remaining schedule is full of playoff teams, too, like Choate, Phillips Andover, Loomis, Deerfield and BB&N. Barring disaster, it'll only strengthen Williston's case.
Why they could make a run: Rinse and repeat from what I wrote last season. Just reread that gauntlet of a schedule, and the success that Christa Talbot Syfu's group has had from it. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more battle-tested and successful team when the playoffs begin. Much is owed to the Wildcats' depth. Whether it's top threats like Brooke Schlutter, Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Zola Piekarski (Concord, Mass.), as well as strong complimentary options like Ava Carr (Medway, Mass.), Riley Stocker, Brenna Ziter (Williston, Vt.), Ashley Anderson (Wilmington, Mass.) and Caroline Doherty (Hingham, Mass.), no shortage of forwards get the job done. Add in defenders Nina Coffee (Old Lyme, Conn.), Yasmine McKenzie (Holden, Mass.), Catie Putt (Norfolk, Mass.) and Keira Gould, and Williston is well-rounded. Goalies Olivia Arsenault and River Grady (Bedford, N.H.) have each given the Wildcats quality minutes, too.
Nobles (17-1-0)
Why they'd be in:Â The Bulldogs are also all but a lock at this point. They've been a constant presence near the top of our rankings and have made the most of a challenging schedule. The highlights include beating Williston in the Harrington, and wins over Loomis, Exeter, St. Paul's, Rivers, BB&N, Choate and St. Mark's. The lone loss came at the hands of Elite 8 contender Dexter. Tom Resor's squad has its hands full with a slate that includes Cushing, Groton, Andover, Thayer, Tabor and Governor's. Unless they collapse, Nobles will be safely in.
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Why they could make a run: The Bulldogs are another well-rounded team, boasting one of prep's top offenses with 78 total goals, compared to just 13 against. Francie Ames (Brookline, Mass.) is a Player of the Year candidate, leading a potent top line with Rachel Zhao (Westwood, Mass.) and Lily Bromley (Carlisle, Mass.). Catherine McCool (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Gretta Hulbig are big-time threats, too. On defense, Nobles has benefitted form plenty of production from a young group taking big strides. Nora Shea (Braintree, Mass.), Ava Decourcey (Rockland, Mass.), Reese Engel (Westwood, Mass.) and Liz Levering (Westwood, Mass.) are key contributors on the blue line. Add in a top goalie in Annika Jonas (Weston, Mass.), and the Bulldogs check every box. Plenty of key experience remains from the Elite 8 title run two years ago.
Phillips Andover (16-1-1)
Why they'd be in:Â After reaching the Elite 8 final last season, the Big Blue have been even better this year. They have arguably the toughest schedule among projected Elite 8 teams, but have performed well. Aside from a loss to Loomis and a tie with Dexter, Andover's wins include Tabor (twice), Deerfield, St. Paul's, Groton, Cushing, Choate, BB&N, Governor's, Taft and Thayer. Martha Fenton's squad will have a chance to bolster its standing down the stretch. Their final four games are against Williston, Nobles, Loomis and Phillips Exeter.
Why they could make a run: Andover also checks every box. Goalie? Got it. Marie Lee (Southboro, Mass.) is enjoying another strong season and has come through in clutch moments in the past. Defense? Check. Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) leads a blue line that can do it all among Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.), Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.), Sienna DeAngelis and Maya Kou. Scoring? Check, check and check. The Big Blue lead prep with 86 total goals, and their plus-65 differential is second. They also boast two of the top scorers in prep in Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.). That's not to mention other key producers like Keira Bruen (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Lilly McInerney (North Reading, Mass.). Like so many others in this upper echelon, Andover will be plenty battle-tested, too.
Dexter Southfield (13-2-2)
Why they'd be in: Dexter was undefeated until a few weeks ago, and even then, their losses were against Elite 8-caliber teams Williston and Tabor. Otherwise, their resume is sparkling. There are wins over Nobles, Deerfield, Exeter St. Paul's, BB&N and Thayer (twice), plus ties against Andover and Rivers. Games down the stretch against Groton, Cushing and Rivers offer opportunities to strengthen their case, too. Unless there are multiple slip-ups, it's safe to expect Maggie Taverna's group to return to the Elite 8.
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Why they could make a run: Experience up front and in net. The Shields have two good options in net in Addie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Annabelle Aitken (Winchester, Mass.). The latter led them to a Large School final two seasons ago. Up front, Evelyn Doyle (Needham, Mass.), Sawyer Merrill (Hingham, Mass.), Devon Moore (Milton, Mass.) and Elizabeth Allen (Winchester, Mass.) are all reliable upperclassmen. Dexter can also rely on breakout youngsters like Leah Hafer (Winchester, Mass.) and Maggie Lovering (Scituate, Mass.) up front, plus defenders Maggie Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.) and Chloe Rabazzi (Burlington, Mass.).
Loomis Chaffee (17-2-0)
Why they'd be in: Coach Liz Leyden's squad boasts just as strong a resume as any of the teams ahead of it, even if their opponents' winning percentage is the lowest of the projected Elite 8 teams. The Pelicans' only losses have come against Williston and Nobles, while they've taken down Andover for the Patsy K. Odden title, as well as Deerfield, Tabor, BB&N, Cushing, Taft, Berkshire, Frederick Gunn and Canterbury. The remaining schedule includes Choate, Williston, Andover and Deerfield.
Why they could make a run: The reigning Elite 8 champs are in a strong position to defend their title. Loomis has top-level talent everywhere. You'd be hard-pressed to find a team in prep that can match a one-two punch of Lindsey Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) and Annie Schwarz (Fairfield, Conn.). That's not to mention blue-liners like Megan Hosman and Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.). The latter has played forward at times this season. In net, Adeline Roper (Kennebunkport, Maine) has championship experience, and Emily Hosman is a strong option, too. Add in a strong supporting cast with Easton Pramuka, Lexi Buco (North Providence, R.I.), Hattie Willard and more, and Loomis has the lineup to beat anyone. Their plus-67 differential (82-15) is tied for the best in prep.
Tabor (11-4-2)
Why they'd be in:Â The Seawolves have played a gauntlet once again this season and taken big strides, returning to the Elite 8 mix. Their best wins have come against Dexter, Groton, Rivers and Taft in addition to ties with Choate and Thayer. The only losses have been against teams ahead of them in the projection: Williston, Andover (twice) and Loomis. Eric Long's team will have chances to bolster its standing with matchups against St. Mark's, St. Paul's, Governor's, Nobles and Berkshire left.
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Why they could make a run: Goaltending and structure. The Seawolves are tough to play against. They do a great job of making life difficult for high-flying opponents, taking away time and space in the neutral zone. Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.) is an X-factor in net, capable of stealing any game. She proved that with a 48-save shutout in an upset of Dexter last week. Tabor also has the talent to keep up offensively with Jen Birolini (Pembroke, Mass.), Giuliana Polcari (Marshfield, Mass.), Sofia Nardelli (Cranston, R.I.), Lilly Shaughnessy (Medfield, Mass.), Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.) and Dawson Styles (South Hamilton, Mass.).
Deerfield (14-3-1)
Why they'd be in: The Big Green only have three losses, and each has been to teams ahead of them in the JSPR: Andover, Dexter and Loomis. Otherwise, they've taken care of business against quality opponents with wins over Exeter, Choate, Taft, BB&N, St. Mark's and Thayer, plus a tie with St. Paul's. Brooke Fernandez's group has some key matchups remaining, like Berkshire, Cushing, Williston and Loomis.
Why they could make a run: Experience. With nine seniors and eight juniors, much of the same core that rolled to the Large School title last season remains in place. Upperclassmen Sophie Frost, Ava Giroux (St. Alban's, Vt.), Gia Thompson, Olivia Austen (Darien, Conn.) and Brady and Peyton Wierl help bolster depth up front. Youngsters Alessandra Picard (Madison, Conn.) and Erin Dunne have been key, too. On the back end, Chloe Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) is one of prep's best, along with Keira Austen (Darien, Conn.). Newcomer Nicole Sciarretta has provided a spark, too.
Phillips Exeter (12-3-2)
Why they'd be in:Â Right now, Exeter is on the outside looking in at No. 9, but the algorithm projects them to jump back into the final spot by season's end. Sally Komarek's squad has only lost to Nobles, Dexter and Deerfield. The Big Red's wins include Cushing, Rivers and St. George's, plus a tie with Gov's. Remaining matchups that include BB&N, New Hampton, St. Paul's (twice) and Andover could make or break Exeter's chances.
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Why they could make a run: Arguably the best first line in prep. Few, if any, can match the Big Red's top unit of Maria Gray, Paisley Meyer (Greenland, N.H.) and Erin Sears (Cornwall, Vt.), who each rank in the top 10 in scoring. Outside of that trio, Exeter can rely on blue-liner Grace Riley, while others like Dominique Reiher, Emma Shu, Riley Choi and Mia Griffith make for key depth. Eva Mai Whyte (Natick, Mass.) gives them a shot to win whenever she's in net, too.
Rivers (10-6-3)
Why they'd be in:Â Entering the season, we thought Rivers would contend for an Elite 8 spot, and they still have an outside shot to sneak in. Outside of a four-game win streak in December, the Red Wings have lacked consistency, going 5-5-3 since. Their resume includes wins over Groton, St. George's and New Hampton with losses to Williston, Nobles, Tabor, Exeter, BB&N and Canterbury, plus ties with Thayer and St. George's. The remaining schedule includes St. Mark's, Gov's, Cushing and Dexter.
Why they could make a run: Budding stars up front, and goaltending. Simone Burns (Winchester, Mass.) is enjoying an excellent sophomore season as one of the top goal-scorers in prep, while fellow sophomore Nora Swaim (Concord, Mass.) has come on strong, too. Goalie Ellie Beigel (Natick, Mass.) gives Rivers a chance to win in any game. Brooke Bartlett (Wayland, Mass.) and Nora McLean (Canton, Mass.) are key presences up front. Keith McLean's squad will need to rely on Kyleigh Rabazzi (Burlington, Mass.), Kathryn Butkus (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Joelle Burns (Winchester, Mass.) on the back end.
Groton (12-4-1)
Why they'd be in: The Zebras currently hold the eighth spot, but the algorithm projects them to finish 10th. They picked up some midseason hardware with a Watkins win over Cushing, in addition to wins over Berkshire, New Hampton and Gov's. They've also tied St. Paul's and lost to Andover, Tabor, Rivers and BB&N. With Dexter, Nobles, Thayer and St. Mark's among the remaining schedule, Tim LeRoy's group has little room for error.
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Why they could make a run: Experience on defense, plus elite skill up front. The Zebras have an older blue line that can get the job done in all three zones with seniors Sydney Nelson (Lowell, Mass.), Oona Kathan (Arlington, Mass.), Jamie Noonan (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and especially junior Tatum Friedholm (Sudbury, Mass.). Sophomores Caroline Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine) and Rose Fischer have come on strong, too. Up front, Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.) remains one of the best all-around players in prep. She's the X-factor in any game. Don't count out young forwards like Zoe Smith (Bolton, Mass.), Charlotte Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine) or Ava Barbour, though. Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.) is strong in net, too.
St. Paul's (12-5-3)
Why they'd be in:Â St. Paul's chances have taken a hit recently in a 2-3-3 run with losses to Nobles, Andover and Dexter, as well as ties with Deerfield, Groton and Cushing. Their record also includes two losses to Williston and wins over St. Mark's and Middlesex. SPS needs to make the most of their remaining games, which include Thayer, New Hampton, Exeter (twice) and Tabor.
Why they could make a run: Offensive, offense and offense. The Big Red boast one of the top units in prep with 79 goals, the third-most in NEPSAC. Between Erin Flaherty (Boston, Mass.), Maddy Humber (Concord, Mass.), Chelsea Bell (Barre, Vt.), Tess Mulkerron (Concord, N.H.), Kelsey MacPherson (Hopkinton, Mass.), Maddy Allen and more, St. Paul's has no shortage of skaters who can find the back of the net. Kelli Mackey's squad gets contributions throughout the lineup. Paige MacPhee is a quality option in the crease as well.
Taft (9-7-0)
Why they'd be in: The Rhinos have kept their heads above water amid a tough schedule, but the odds aren't in their favor to make the Elite 8. Their wins include Choate and Canterbury, while almost every loss has been against a playoff contender (Williston, Andover, Loomis, Deerfield, Tabor and Choate). Shannon Turner's team has key matchups the rest of the way that include Gunn, Choate and Berkshire (twice).
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Why they could make a run: Balance. Not one player is dominating the production for Taft. Whether it's Ella Bates (Weymouth, Mass.), Lindsey Kunzelmann (Avon, Conn.), Selkie Brown, Kami Moors (Simsbury, Conn.), Phoebe Weisman, Julianna Picard (Madison, Conn.) or Olivia Weiners, plenty of skaters have stepped up at different points. Sophomore Alex Tombaugh (Madison, Conn.) has been solid in net, too. Taft is plenty battle-tested through that schedule.
Cushing (9-6-2)
Why they'd be in:Â The Penguins are long shots to make the Elite 8. Their losses have all been against quality opponents in Williston (twice), Andover, Loomis, Groton and Exeter. They've also settled for ties with Gunn and St. Paul's, while the wins include Thayer, Gov's and St. George's. Never say never, though. Cushing needs to make the most of remaining matchups against Nobles, BB&N, Berkshire, Deerfield, Rivers, Dexter and Choate.
Why they could make a run: Scoring. Brandy Fisher-Bailey's squad has that in spades throughout the lineup. They still boast a potent attack, thanks to Bella Freitas (Everett, Mass.), Brooke Harb (Atkinson, N.H.), Julia Lambert (Wilmington, Mass.), Lily Winckler, Madi Soderquist (Woburn, Mass.) and Molly Bardol (Walpole, Mass.). Sadie Bellissimo and Ines Khamis are strong options in net as well.
Governor's (12-4-4)
Why they'd be in:Â Gov's was firmly in the hunt through the first month of the season, and they're still in the mix, even if the math isn't necessarily in their favor. Claudia Barcomb's team boasts wins over BB&N, Canterbury and New Hampton, plus ties with Exeter, St. Mark's, Middlesex and St. George's. The losses have been against Andover, Dexter, Groton and Cushing. Like so many others, Gov's needs to capitalize on matchups with Thayer, Tabor, Rivers and Nobles down the stretch.
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Why they could make a run: Governor's best skaters can keep up with anyone. Brooke Carlson (North Andover, Mass.) has been one of prep's top goal-scorers this season, while Lana Hardin (Tyngsboro, Mass.) and Parker Roenick (Exeter, N.H.) are also key pieces on the top line. Megan Carlson (North Andover, Mass.) is an excellent puck-mover on the back end, too. Further down the lineup, Lexi Durant and Ella McDonald (Winchester, Mass.) have stepped up, while Joey Calderara (Windham, N.H.) is steady on the back end. Caroline Justicz (Harvard, Mass.) makes life difficult on opponents as well. In net, Liz Luong (Framingham, Mass.) can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
BB&N (7-7-1)
Why they'd be in: The Knights were on a heater just a week ago, vaulting into the top eight in the JSPR. Three straight losses to Loomis, Andover and Gov's took the wind out of their sails, though. BB&N's case includes wins over Groton, Rivers, St. Mark's (plus a tie) and New Hampton, while other losses have come against Dexter, Deerfield and Nobles. We've seen the Knights get hot, though. Maybe there's some magic left in remaining matchups with Exeter, St. George's, Nobles, Cushing, Tabor, Middlesex, Thayer and Williston.
Why they could make a run: Identity. Jori Balsam's group is tough to play against. They forecheck hard, and they're structured in the neutral zone. Anika Singh (Lexington, Mass.) has been a premier producer, and she's the heart and soul of the Knights alongside juniors Molly Halloran (Belmont, Mass.), Mary Murray (Hingham, Mass.) and Kate Glantz (Burlington, Mass.). Youngsters like Cali Littlewood (Braintree, Mass.), Sydney Young (Needham, Mass.) and Serena Mohsen (Newton, Mass.) are all capable of stepping up. Barbara Ma (Cambridge, Mass.) is an X-factor in net as well.
St. Mark's (8-6-2)
Why they'd be in: St. Mark's isn't in the top 16 of the JSPR as I write this on Feb. 5, but the algorithm has them jumping into the mix down the stretch. The Lions boast wins over Middlesex, St. George's and New Hampton, plus ties with Gov's and BB&N. The losses include Williston, Nobles, Deerfield, BB&N and St. Paul's. The odds for the Elite 8 don't look great, but St. Mark's could give itself a shot with key tilts against Tabor, Rivers, Thayer and Groton.
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Why they could make a run: Just look at last season. It's a much different (and younger) team, but we know Kerstin Matthews' group is capable of getting hot at any moment after reaching the Small School final as the No. 6 seed. Experience from that run remains with seniors Hannah Macron, Maribeth Fitzgerald (Boylston, Mass.) and Bridget Fitzgerald (Boylston, Mass.), plus juniors Kayleigh Koen (Canton, Mass.), Katie Barrett (Sandwich, Mass.) and Shae Webber (Mendon, Mass.). New and returning underclassmen have provided a jolt to the offense, be it Allie Sauls, Jocelyn Gray (Hanover, Mass.), Abbey Deroeve, Sammi Ruzzo (North Smithfield, R.I.) or Caroline Kreuz (Worcester, Mass.). Freshman goalies Melanie Allen (Norwood, Mass.) and Erin Drew (Methuen, Mass.) have had solid seasons as well.
